A devastating fire that engulfed two warehouses in Kolkata's Anandapur area has claimed the lives of 21 people, with 27 others reported missing. The blaze, which broke out around 3 a.m. on January 26, 2026, ravaged the structures, one of which housed a warehouse belonging to the popular quick-service restaurant chain, Wow! Momo. The other warehouse was operated by a decorator.
The fire, suspected to have started in the decorator's warehouse due to unauthorized cooking, quickly spread to the adjacent Wow! Momo warehouse. Both warehouses were packed with highly flammable materials, including soft drinks, dry food packets, and decorative items, which fueled the rapid spread of the inferno. Only a few of the approximately 37 workers present in the two warehouses managed to escape the blaze. Many of the workers were reportedly sleeping inside the warehouses when the fire erupted.
Firefighters struggled to control the blaze, and rescue operations continued for days. As the search and rescue efforts progressed, the grim reality of the tragedy unfolded, with the death toll steadily climbing. The charred remains of the victims have made identification extremely difficult, necessitating DNA testing.
The incident has sparked outrage and triggered a political blame game. Questions have been raised regarding the fire safety measures, or lack thereof, at the warehouses. Authorities have confirmed that neither warehouse had the mandatory fire safety clearances. Ranveer Kumar, Director General of Fire Services, admitted to potential lapses within the department and promised an internal probe.
Police have arrested Gangadhar Das, the owner of the decorator's warehouse, on charges of death due to negligence and he has been remanded to police custody until February 4. Similar charges have been filed against the owners of Wow! Momo, though no arrests have been made. The CPI(M) has criticized the police for the delay in arresting the owners of the momo company.
Wow! Momo released a statement expressing grief over the loss of lives, including two of their employees and a security guard. The company has announced a compensation package for the victims' families, which includes a lump-sum payment of ₹10 lakh, a lifetime monthly salary for the bereaved, and full educational support for the children in the families.
The fire has exposed critical vulnerabilities in Wow! Momo's supply chain and expansion strategy. The destruction of the Anandapur warehouse has disrupted the company's distribution capabilities, particularly in its home market of Kolkata. The incident is expected to force the company to reassess its supply chain network and contingency planning.
The Kolkata warehouse fire is a stark reminder of the importance of fire safety regulations and their enforcement. The incident has left families in mourning and raised serious questions about the safety and working conditions of laborers in the city. As investigations continue, authorities are under pressure to ensure that those responsible are held accountable and that measures are taken to prevent such tragedies from happening again.
